Aquaculture

Wild Wrasse Cleaner Fish Welfare

Wrasse are increasingly used as cleaner fish in salmon farms to control sea lice, with their own welfare needs requiring specific attention.

Key Facts

Wild-caught and hatchery-reared wrasse are used to eat lice from salmon
Common species include goldsinny, rock cook, and ballan wrasse
Wrasse require kelp and shelter in sea cages to maintain welfare and function
Mortality rates of wrasse in sea cages can be very high without appropriate habitat
UK welfare guidelines for cleaner fish were published in 2017 but implementation is variable

Welfare Considerations

Wrasse are sentient fish deployed as a welfare tool for salmon but requiring their own welfare management. High wrasse mortality in sea cages indicates welfare failure and loss of lice control function simultaneously. Providing shelter, appropriate group composition, and protection from salmon aggression improves wrasse welfare and their effectiveness as cleaner fish.

What You Can Do

Support certified salmon farms with explicit cleaner fish welfare protocols
Choose ASC-certified salmon from farms with low cleaner fish mortality
Advocate for mandatory cleaner fish welfare standards in salmon certification